Kafr El Sheikh

This Kafr El Sheikh travel guide covers the best things to do in Kafr El Sheikh: Lake Burullus and its birdlife, the Delta coast and fresh fish. Below you will also find the best time to visit Kafr El Sheikh, how to get there and around, and where to stay.

Kafr El Sheikh is the capital of Kafr El Sheikh governorate in the northern Nile Delta, between the Rosetta branch of the Nile and the Mediterranean. The city is an agricultural and administrative centre with a university, but most visitors come for the area around it: rice paddies, fish farms, the great coastal lagoon of Lake Burullus and quiet beaches.

History

The area was separated from Gharbia to form its own province in 1949 and later took the name of its capital. Its history is far older: near Desouk lies Tell el-Fara’in, the site of ancient Buto, an early royal centre of Lower Egypt and the cult place of the cobra goddess Wadjet. The governorate is now Egypt’s leading fishing and aquaculture region, producing a large share of the country’s fish, and is also a major rice grower.

What to see and do

• Lake Burullus: a shallow, saline lagoon of islands and reed beds linked to the sea by a narrow channel. It is a protected area and a Ramsar wetland of international importance (designated 1988), and an important wintering and breeding site for waterbirds. Boat trips with local fishermen can sometimes be arranged.
• Baltim: a Mediterranean beach town on the sandbar north of the lake, popular with Egyptian families in summer.
• Desouk: home to the mosque and shrine of the Sufi saint Ibrahim El Desouki, whose annual moulid draws large crowds.
• Fuwwah: an old Nile town on the Rosetta branch with a cluster of historic mosques and houses.
• Local food: grilled and fried fish from the lake and fish farms, with rice dishes, is the thing to eat here.

Practical tips

One or two days is enough for the city, the lake and Baltim, or Desouk and Fuwwah can be seen on a day trip. You will need taxis or a hired driver to move between towns. Bring binoculars and insect repellent for the lake, and visit in winter for the best birdwatching. Baltim is busiest from June to September.

Last checked October 2026. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, rsis.ramsar.org, keybiodiversityareas.org.